Teacher helped write hometown tune

March 22, 2008

By Don McAlvay: CNJ columnist

About 1963 Keith Ingram went to work for KCLV radio station. Bob Gold hired him as a disc jockey. The Echols still owned that station then. But Ingram went over to KICA radio station at 10th and Sycamore in 1966, at age 21 or 22, as a disc jockeys for that station

In 1965 Pams Inc. out of Dallas, a jingle company that thought up promotions and gimmicks to aid radio stations, succeeded in talking KICA into their five disc jockeys coming up with a promotion (in this case a song) to promote KICA as well as Clovis.

The song actually was Ingram’s idea. The DJs were Charlie Pro, Sandy Smith, Jackie Robinson (who did the farm news) Bill Strong (a teenager) and Keith Ingram. They came up with the lyrics and maybe the tune, but the music was done by Euel Box of Pams Inc.

The name of the song was “Clovis, My Home Town.” Here are the lyrics of the song they, Keith and Pams Inc. produced:

“You’ve heard the story of other towns.Now let me tell you mine. The Gateway to Eastern New Mexico,Where the living’s mighty fine. Growing fast and growing great, a city of renown. Clovis, Clovis, that’s my home town! Clovis, Clovis that’s my home town!Clovis is the Cattle Capital of the great Southwest. A railroad center and super highwaysmake transportation the best. And the boys from Cannon Air Force Basewe’re glad to have around. In Clovis, Clovis, that’s my home town! Clovis, Clovis, that’s my home town!Visit the zoo in the municipal parkwhere the sunken gardens are found.Our school’s Wildcats, Kittens and Cubsare the finest teams around. KICA’s swinging gentlemen play the Young American’s song. In Clovis, Clovis, that’s my home town! Clovis, Clovis … that’s … my … home town!”

The song turned out to be popular and was used by KICA for a long time. Amazingly, all these 45 rpm records were given away to anybody who wanted one. In 2008 Ingram says there aren’t any to be found, and he doesn’t even have one.

Don McAlavy owns one of those famous records. Maybe he should give Ingram the one he owns?

Ingram worked at KICA from 1966 to 1968, right after John H. Marshall Sr. owned KICA. Leon Williams and Wayne Wallace bought KICA in 1966.

In 1968 Ingram moved to Lubbock, going to work for KSEL radio station, run by R. B. McAlister. He was there when the 1970 tornado hit Lubbock.

Ingram can recall, as a youngster, watching Buddy Holly sing the song “Peggy Sue” at the Norman Petty Studio. Today Ingram teaches at the Clovis High School Freshman Campus.